Doing some pre-startup homework and crafting a business plan now will make your life post-startup so much easier. The real reasons to write a business plan have nothing to do with other people: They have to do with you.

You’re not alone if you inherited the family business with no formal succession plan in place. About 64 percent of family companies don’t have a written succession plan, while another 19 percent have one “in progress.” Use these tips to find your footing after you’ve suddenly inherited the family business.